NAB: Fox, Affiliates Pledge to Work Together

A day after Chase Carey, News Corp. president and COO,discussed potentially blowing up the broadcast model for Fox, the affiliatesmeeting in Las Vegas looked to be full of pyrotechnics -- fueled by stationpartners who are unclear about their role in a different network model. On thecontrary, the meeting showed an affiliate body that appears united in itssupport of Fox taking down outfits such as Aereo that build a business on thebacks of broadcasters' content. The meeting, according to several affiliates,was short on the vociferous debates seen in previous years, and showed both partiesseemingly eager to work together.

"I think everybody supports our position and isgenerally understanding about where we're going," said Mike Hopkins,president of affiliate sales and marketing at Fox.

Affiliate reps emerging from the tenaciously guarded LasVegas Hotel ballroom said they were instructed not to share details of themeeting with the media; none would speak on the record. Fox officials also toldthem many in the press had blown Carey's statements out of proportion, andneglected to report that, if Fox ends up upending the network model, it intendsto keep affiliates in the equation. "One option could be converting theFox broadcast network to a pay channel," Fox said in a statement on Monday,"which we would do in collaboration with both our content partners and affiliates."

The Fox officials in the meeting emphasized that point tothe station partners, but did not provide details on how therelationship would or would not change.

The affiliate partners got some insights on Fox's plan toincrease live streaming offerings, including the Sports to Go app, to bebranded locally by stations. "It's aggressive and it feels like somethingwe can take to market," said one affiliate. "We feel like partners onit."

They also got glimpses at new programming, which one groupleader said was "outstanding...just outstanding."

"I like the story arcs, I like the productionvalues," said another station level person.

The station partners are pleased with the performance of The Following, but want to see a majorturnaround in prime -- especially with AmericanIdol not popping ratings like it did in its heyday. "If they would'vegotten up there and said how pleased they were with their fall, we would'vecalled bullshit," said one person on the affiliates side. "Theydidn't. They showed they had a plan."

Local broadcasters up and down the Vegas strip this week areincreasingly united in thwarting the Aereos and Aereokillers and otherstreaming services of the world, and most believe the contentowners will win. Affiliates in the room at the Fox meeting credited thenetwork for working out a plan B should Aereo prevail in court -- and genuinelyseemed to believe they would remain significant partners if Fox should end upas a pay channel.

"I'm very impressed that they're out infront of this," said one Fox station vet.